ACLU of Missouri Suing to Halt Use of State’s New Congressional Map

The lawsuit also seeks a referendum on the issue at the next November election.

The floor of the Missouri Senate is seen during a filibuster in Jefferson City, Mo., on Sept. 12, 2025. Michael B. Thomas/Getty Images

Two Missouri voters are suing over the state’s new congressional districts map, asking a court to stop it from being used for the upcoming 2026 elections.

The lawsuit, filed by the American Civil Liberties Union on behalf of the Missouri voters, claims the state is illegally implementing a Republican-backed gerrymandered map. The filing also argues the state violated voters’ constitutional rights when the new congressional districts were implemented on Dec. 11, despite a petition with more than 305,000 signatures seeking a statewide vote on the matter.

A group, called People Not Politicians Missouri, filed the petition earlier this month.

“Politicians passed an illegal gerrymandering scheme that is nothing more than an unconstitutional power grab,” People Not Politician Missouri’s website reads. “Politicians shouldn’t be slicing and dicing communities to pick their voters—voters should be picking their politicians.”

Republican officials in the state have argued the new map allows more conservative lawmakers to be elected, which better reflects the state’s demographic.

Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway has also defended the new congressional map and said her office will defend the state’s right over redistricting from “out-of-state dark-money groups attempting to hijack the process through a referendum effort.”

The map would only be suspended, as the lawsuit argues it should have been, if the Missouri Secretary of State Denny Hoskins verifies the signatures and concludes they are valid to force a pause.

According to the state’s constitution, voters opposed to a state law must achieve about 110,000 valid signatures on a petition or 5 percent of legal voters in at least two-thirds of Missouri’s congressional districts. If that happens, the legislation is put on hold until a statewide referendum vote at the next November election.

Critics of the new congressional map, backed by President Donald Trump, argue the Missouri AG could take too long to verify 110,000 valid signatures. Until then, Hanaway previously said, she will continue defending her state’s new congressional map.

The Missouri AG’s office said earlier this week that opponents of the new map are pushing a disinformation campaign, regarding the demands for a law to be paused for a referendum vote when a petition is submitted.

Redistricting battles are happening in several states across the country. Republicans are pushing new congressional maps to garner more seats in Texas, Missouri, North Carolina, and Ohio. Democrats are also pursuing favorable redrawn maps in California and Utah.

Missouri’s primary elections will be held on Aug. 4, 2026.